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Dam Stories Wanted for Rock County Historical Society’s “Dam Day”

Janesville, WI – Now that the vote is in to remove Janesville’s Monterey Dam, the Rock County Historical Society is hosting “Dam Day,” set for Tuesday, April 18 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the Society’s Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center. It’s a chance for community members to share their stories about the Monterey Dam.

“The Monterey Dam has been a part of Janesville since 1846,” said RCHS Director Mike Reuter. “We want to capture community members’ stories about the dam. That’s why we’re excited to host Dam Day.”

Reuter added that Dam Day is not about whether one is for or against the removal of the dam.

“It’s important for us, as a historical society, to focus on the history of the dam from people who live in the area. Positive memories, scary stories, photos… we want them all,” Reuter said.

Capturing stories at Dam Day fits with RCHS’s 2017 theme of History in Focus: Sharing Stories. Supporting Community. The goal is to capture hundreds of stories throughout the year from all corners of Rock County, working in partnership with local businesses, local government, nonprofits and the general public as partners to capture the essence of Rock County.

“Storytelling is a way to inspire action and elicit pride in a community. A large part of our mission is to capture and tell those stories in different, creative ways,” Reuter explained. “Dam Day is an ideal way for community members to share their stories about the Monterey Dam, cementing those stories in history through RCHS.”

People who share stories, both on Dam Day and throughout the year, may see them on a variety of RCHS story portals. These include social media; the RCHS web site: www.rchs.us/hif on the weekly Focus In blog; and on the Story Wall located inside the Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center at 426 N. Jackson Street, Janesville.